Today marks the 30th anniversary of Kick It Out, the UK’s leading anti-discrimination charity in football. Kick It Out was founded in 1993 and has since been working to tackle all forms of discrimination in football and create a more inclusive environment for everyone.
To celebrate this milestone, Kick It Out is calling on all stakeholders in the game to strengthen their efforts to combat discrimination in football. This includes clubs, leagues, governing bodies, players, and fans. Kick It Out is also asking for more resources to be invested into anti-discrimination initiatives, as well as greater support for grassroots organisations that are working to promote inclusion in the sport.
Kick It Out’s Chair, Sanjay Bhandari, said: “We are proud to have reached this milestone and we must use this moment to reflect on the progress we have made in tackling discrimination in football over the last 30 years. We must also use it as an opportunity to redouble our efforts to ensure that football is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.”
Kick It Out has had a number of successes over the past three decades, including the introduction of the Equality Standard for Professional Football Clubs in England and Wales in 2013. This standard was designed to help clubs create a more inclusive environment for everyone involved in the game.
The charity has also worked with governing bodies to introduce new regulations that aim to tackle discrimination in football. This includes the introduction of the Football Offences Act 1991, which made it a criminal offence to engage in discriminatory chanting or behaviour at football matches.
Kick It Out has also been successful in raising awareness of discrimination in football through its campaigns and initiatives. This includes its ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’ campaign, which was launched in 1997 and has since become one of the most recognisable anti-discrimination campaigns in the world.
As Kick It Out marks its 30th anniversary, it is clear that there is still much work to be done to ensure that football is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. The charity is calling on all stakeholders in the game to strengthen their efforts to combat discrimination and invest more resources into anti-discrimination initiatives. Only then can we create a truly inclusive environment for everyone involved in football.
